LARYNX

JUNHEL DALANON, DMD, MAT, EdD

LARYNX
Larynx is that part of upper respiratory
tract which is located in the neck. It also
acts as the organ of phonation. It is a
membrano-cartilaginous passage which
communicates above with the
laryngopharynx and below with the
trachea.
LARYNX
It extends from the upper
border of epiglottis to the lower
border of cricoid cartilage, i.e.,
C3 to C6 vertebral levels.
LARYNX
The skeletal framework of larynx is
made up of 9 cartilages which are
connected to one another by
ligaments and membranes. It is lined
by mucus membrane and covered
externally by muscles of larynx
LARYNX
EPIGLOTTIS
It is a leaf like structure that extends upwards
behind the hyoid bone and the base of the tongue.
It has an upper and a lower end, an anterior and
posterior surface with two lateral borders.
The upper broad end is free while the narrow
lower end is connected to the posterior surface of
the thyroid angle by the thyroepiglottic ligament,
just below the thyroid notch.
EPIGLOTTIS
The anterior surface is also connected below
to the hyoid bone by the hyo-epiglottic
ligament.
The posterior surface of epiglottis is concave
and presents a tubercle in its lower part.
Both the surfaces are covered with mucus
membrane.
EPIGLOTTIS
The mucus membrane from anterior surface
of epiglottis reflects over the base of tongue
and forms one median and two lateral glosso-
epiglottic folds. The depression on each side
of the median fold is called as vallecula.
The lower part of the lateral border provides
attachment to aryepiglottic folds on each side.
THYROID CARTILAGE
It consists of two quadrilateral laminae which are fused
anteriorly at an angle called the thyroid angle. It is deficient
posteriorly.
Each lamina has four borders namely upper, lower,
anterior and posterior and two surfaces,
outer and inner.
Anterior borders of each lamina are fused together in
lower 2/3rd to form thyroid angle. In upper 1/3rd the border
are separated by the thyroid notch or incisure. The angle
measures 90 in males and 120 in females.
THYROID CARTILAGE
The thyroid angle is more prominent in
males. It forms a prominence on the front
of neck which is named Adams apple.
Upper border, from before backwards is
convexo-concave and gives attachment to
the thyrohyoid membrane.
THYROID CARTILAGE
The lower border is straight anteriorly and
curves, with concavity downwards, on each
side in the posterior part. A conical fibrous
band named, the median cricothyroid
ligament, extends from anterior part of lower
border to the cricoid cartilage. The rest of the
border provides insertion to cricothyroid
muscle on each side.
THYROID CARTILAGE
The posterior border of each lamina is free and
extends above and below as the superior and
inferior horns. Superior horn is long and provides
a conjoined insertion to stylopharyngeus,
palatopharyngeus and salpingopharyngeus
muscles. The lower horns are shorter and thicker
and curve downwards to articulate with cricoid
cartilage on each side along their medial aspect.
THYROID CARTILAGE
Inner surface of the thyroid cartilage is
covered with mucus membrane. In the
median plane it provides attachment to the
following structures on each side of midline,
from above downwards:
1. Thyroepiglottic ligament
2. Vestibular ligaments
3. Vocal ligaments.
THYROID CARTILAGE
Outer surface of each lamina presents an oblique
line extending from base of superior horn to the
inferior border, in front of inferior horn. It provides
attachment to the following 3 muscles:
1. Thyrohyoid, in front.
2. Sternothyroid, in middle part.
3. Inferior constrictor (thyropharyngeus part
only),
below and behind the line.
CRICOID CARTILAGE
The cricoid cartilage is situated at the
level of C6 vertebra and completely
encircles the lumen of the larynx.
This is shaped like a signet ring with a
narrow anterior arch and a broad
posterior lamina.
CRICOID CARTILAGE
At the outer surface of junction of the two
parts, on each side, the cricoid bears an oval
facet
which articulates with the corresponding inferior
horn of thyroid cartilage.
The inner surface of cartilage is lined by mucus
membrane consisting of ciliated columnar
epithelium.
CRICOID CARTILAGE
Upper border gives attachment to
cricothyroid membrane and lower border gives
attachment to cricotracheal ligament.
The posterior ends of the upper border of
cricoid lamina present on each side with a
smooth, oval and convex articular shoulder
that articulates with the base of arytenoid
cartilages.
CRICOID CARTILAGE
The posterior surface of the lamina
presents a median ridge for attachment
of esophageal ligament (longitudinal
layer of muscularis externa of
esophagus). Two depressed areas on
each side of this ridge give origin to
posterior cricoarytenoid muscle.
ARYTENOID CARTILAGE
Each arytenoid cartilage is pyramidal in shape
and presents, an apex, a base, 2 processes -
muscular and vocal and 3 surfaces:
anterolateral, medial and posterior.
The apex is directed upwards while the base
is directed below and is concave. The base
articulates with the corresponding lateral end of
upper border of lamina of cricoid cartilage.
ARYTENOID CARTILAGE
The medial surface is smooth, flat and is
directed towards the cavity. It is lined by
mucus membrane. Posterior surface is smooth
and concave while anterolateral surface is
rough and convex.
The muscular process projects laterally and
backwards while the vocal process is directed
forwards.
CORNICULATE CARTILAGE
These are tiny cartilages lying in the
posterio-inferior part of the aryepiglottic
folds, above the apex of the arytenoid
cartilage.
CUNEIFORM CARTILAGE
These are tiny rods of cartilage situated
in the aryepiglottic fold, anterosuperior
to the corniculate cartilages.
LIGAMENTS AND
MEMBRANES OF THE
LARYNX
EXTRINSIC LIGAMENT &
MEMBRANES
1. Hypoepiglottic Ligament
2. Thyrohyoid Membrane
3. Thyroepiglottic Ligament
4. Cricotracheal Ligament
INTRINSIC LIGAMENT &
MEMBRANES
1. Cricothyroid membrane (Crico-
vocal membrane)
2. Quadrangular membrane
CAVITY OF THE LARYNX
It extends from the inlet of larynx to the lower
border of cricoid cartilage. The anterior wall of
laryngeal cavity is longer than the posterior
wall.

Laryngeal inlet: It is obliquely placed and slopes

downwards and backwards. It opens into the
laryngopharynx.
CAVITY OF THE LARYNX
Boundaries
Anterior: Broad upper end of epiglottis.
Posterior: Inter-arytenoid fold of mucous membrane.
Lateral: Ary-epiglottic fold of mucous membrane on
each side. It over lies the aryepiglottic muscle and has
the corniculate and cuneiform cartilages at its
posterior end. Thus, the inlet consists of an anterior
(2/3rd) membranous part and a posterior (1/3rd)
cartilaginous part.
INNER ASPECT OF LARYNGEAL
CAVITY
The inner aspect of laryngeal
cavity is lined by mucus
membrane which extends from
upper free border of aryepiglottic
fold to the lower border of cricoid.
INNER ASPECT OF LARYNGEAL
CAVITY
2 Folds of the Lining Membrane
1. Vestibular Folds / False Vocal
Cords
2. Vocal Folds / True Vocal Cords
Vestibular Folds
These folds are produced by the
underlying vestibular ligaments.
The space between the two
vestibular folds is called as rima
vestibuli.
Vocal Folds
These folds are produced by the
underlying vocal ligaments and vocalis
muscle and lie below the false vocal
cords.
The space between the right and left
vocal folds is called as rima glottidis
Vocal Folds
Vocal cords act as entry valves.
They prevent entry of all
substances through
rima glottis except air.
Vocal Folds
Since the males have longer
vocal cords than females, they
have louder but low pitched
voices than females.
Rima Glottidis
These folds are produced by the underlying
vocal ligaments and vocalis muscle and lie
below the false vocal cords.
a. Intermembranous part: It lies between the two
vocal cords, forms anterior 3/5th of rima glottidis.
b. Intercartilaginous part: It lies between inner
aspect of the vocal process and medial surface of
arytenoid cartilage on each side, forms posterior
2/5th of rima glottidis.
Rima Glottidis
The space between the right
and left vocal folds is called as
rima glottidis
SUBDIVISIONS OF LARYNGEAL
CAVITY
1. Supraglottic Compartment
(Vestibule)
2. Glottic Compartment (Sinus of
Larynx)
3. Infraglottic Compartment